The Official 2018 Minor League Statline and Prospect Discussion Thread

[Angelsjunky]

[Tank]

1 hour ago, tdawg87 said:

Cals and his dog shot a video?

[SoWhat]

1 hour ago, AngelsFaninGA said:

I can absolutely see it. Juan Soto 2.0

As much as I’d love for that to happen, I don’t see it at all. Soto’s plate discipline is far superior to Adell’s. Soto has walked more than he’s struck out at every level he’s been at except for the majors, which he’s very close to doing (39BB -46K)

[bloodbrother]

Yeah, Soto's plate approach/pitch recognition skills are absurd for someone so young.

[Chuck]

48 minutes ago, bloodbrother said:

Yeah, Soto's plate approach/pitch recognition skills are absurd for someone so young.

Yep. Honestly I think BA's #1 prospect at the start of the season is a better comparison to Jo Adell. Good power, good speed, good defense, strong arm, good bat speed for a higher BA, decent OBP, but not the same level as Soto and Vlad Jr. Those two IMO are the best hitting prospects in the game, but they lack on the defensive side and don't nearly have the speed of Acuna and Adell.

You can't fault Adell's age as he was drafted as an 18 year old senior in HS, while Soto, Vlad and Acuna started their pro careers much earlier due to being internationally signed and starting minor league time at the young age of 16-17. 

[Angelsjunky]

Vlad Jr looks like he's getting a bit beefy. I predict he ends up being like David Ortiz, who was one of the best hitters in the game for a decade or so but didn't contribute much when not holding a piece of lumber in his hand.

Something is keeping me from seeing Jo Adell as more than an A- prospect. That is plenty good, but I'm worried about his plate discipline and not sure he's going to hit for much of an average. But I think he's young and smart enough to fill in the gap and become a true grade A. This is why I'd like to see him play in AA for most of next year, to really fill out his game.

[Docwaukee]

Adell isn't 20.  he's less than 3 months from his 19th birthday.  If they left him in A ball like most 19 year old elite prospects, he'd have 60 walks and would be bored out of his mind.    He'd also still be 2 years younger than most prospects at that level.  

keep in mind that in Trout's age 18 season he was only 4 months younger than adell is now and didn't reach AA.  He had an .821 ops at A+ that year.  4 months his senior, Adell had an ops of .891 at A+.  In Trout's first two pro seasons, he had 62 xbh in 807 PA.  Adell has 74 in 596 pa.  Trout hit for a better avg and had more walks though of course.  They aren't comparable because they are different players.  

Juan Soto is an elite player and the next perennial MVP candidate.  The next great superstar in baseball.  

I think I'm gonna be fine with Adell being a superstar even if he doesn't end up as good as Soto.  

[Angel Oracle]

7 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

I say the Angels look at dealing Calhoun in the offseason for more RP/SP depth and let Adell take over in RF if he tears up AA for the rest of the minor league season.

Or with how Calhoun is raking (and fielding) and Upton isn’t with RISP and isn’t fielding, trade Upton and half his salary for SP depth from a team that can use a DH.

I don’t know how much more of Upton’s defense and RISP hitting I can take.   They now have a better chance to win with Calhoun in the lineup.

Then Marsh replaces Calhoun after 2019.   And you wouldn’t have both Adell and Marsh debuting in 2020.

[Lou]

4 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Or with how Calhoun is raking (and fielding) and Upton isn’t with RISP and isn’t fielding, trade Upton and half his salary for SP depth from a team that can use a DH.

I don’t know how much more of Upton’s defense and RISP hitting I can take.   They now have a better chance to win with Calhoun in the lineup.

Then Marsh replaces Calhoun after 2019.   And you wouldn’t have both Adell and Marsh debuting in 2020.

no.

btw, Upton in his last 65 PA:

.345 BA

.446/.600/1.046
 

[totdprods]

Last night's notes:

• Have to start with Adell: 2-4, 3 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, K in his AA debut.
  On the year, 26 2B, 4 3B, 19 homers, 73 RBI, 13016 SB attempts, 26 BB, 90 K, .303/.364/.573/.936
• Will Adell's presence help Jahmai Jones?: 2-4, 3 R, 3B, now hitting .300 in last 10 games
• Brennon Lund: 4-5, 2 R, HR (8), 4 RBI, SB (21)
• Jack Kruger: 2-5, RBI, Jose Rojas: 3-4, RBI, BB, Jesus Castillo: 3 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 3 K
• Matt Custred: 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K - at AA, 42 IP, 2.14 ERA, .171 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 23 BB, 46 K - torched in AAA though for 8 ER in 5 IP
• Brandon Marsh: 0-3, BB, 3 K,
• Franklin Navarro: 3-3, HR (1), 3 RBI, Julian Leon: 1-3, HR (7) - .226/.363/.387/.750, 32 BB, 57 K, 35% CS%
• Torii Jr: 0-3, 2 BB, Alexis Olmeda: 2-3, 2 R, 2 HR (4), BB, K, Oliver Ortega: 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K
• Livan Soto: 1-4, BB, E (16), Kevin Maitan: 1-4, RBI, BB
• Mario Sanjur: 2-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, Johan Sala: 1-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, BB
• Jeremiah Jackson: 0-4, 3 K, Jordyn Adams: 1-4, K, Deveaux: 0-4, 2 K, Knowles: 1-3, BB
• Jose Quezada: 2-4, 3 R, 2B, BB, Jose Reyes: 3-5, 3 R, 2B, HR (1), 5 RBI

[Lou]

7 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Have to start with Adell: 2-4, 3 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, K in his AA debut.
On the year, 26 2B, 4 3B, 19 homers, 73 RBI, 13016 SB attempts, 26 BB, 90 K, .303/.364/.573/.936

something tells me he has the green light at all times 

[ten ocho recon scout]

Would Torii Hunter be a decent projection for Adell?

[totdprods]

38 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Would Torii Hunter be a decent projection for Adell?

Upton seems a little closer. Adell's defense is good but few were as good as Torii. Adell has loads more power too.

Adell's plate discipline will dictate what sort of player he plateaus at. I'm not worried about his ~25:95 BB:K yet, since he's hitting well enough no sense to not swing away, but when he is challenged more it'll be interesting to see if he adjusts. He might put up an Upton-esque .275/.350/.475 his first few years, or if his discipline takes a turn, he could shift towards a more .290/.375/.525 elite bat, aka Black Trout.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

no.

btw, Upton in his last 65 PA:

.345 BA

.446/.600/1.046
 

That is fine of course.

What about the still terrible RISP numbers and fielding?   Plus there is no room at DH/1B, unless they trade Thaiss, Pujols accepts a reduction to 120 starts next season, and Ohtani returns to the mound and cuts back on DH starts.

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Would Torii Hunter be a decent projection for Adell?

Hunter with more speed, yes.

[Second Base]

9 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Yep. Honestly I think BA's #1 prospect at the start of the season is a better comparison to Jo Adell. Good power, good speed, good defense, strong arm, good bat speed for a higher BA, decent OBP, but not the same level as Soto and Vlad Jr. Those two IMO are the best hitting prospects in the game, but they lack on the defensive side and don't nearly have the speed of Acuna and Adell.

You can't fault Adell's age as he was drafted as an 18 year old senior in HS, while Soto, Vlad and Acuna started their pro careers much earlier due to being internationally signed and starting minor league time at the young age of 16-17. 

While that is an advantage, Adell was not ready to succeed in a professional setting at 16. There still quite a few on the fence with him at 17. By the time he was 18, he was an obvious first round pick, but there were many that thought he was a long term project, because no one is suddenly this good, this early after not being very good for the past two years.

Obviously, he's reaching entirely new levels at 19. 

[bloodbrother]

 

[Second Base]

9 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Vlad Jr looks like he's getting a bit beefy. I predict he ends up being like David Ortiz, who was one of the best hitters in the game for a decade or so but didn't contribute much when not holding a piece of lumber in his hand.

Something is keeping me from seeing Jo Adell as more than an A- prospect. That is plenty good, but I'm worried about his plate discipline and not sure he's going to hit for much of an average. But I think he's young and smart enough to fill in the gap and become a true grade A. This is why I'd like to see him play in AA for most of next year, to really fill out his game.

It's weird, Vlad is definitely chubby,  and does not look athletic at all, but he is surprisingly mobile and very athletic. 

[Second Base]

29 minutes ago, bloodbrother said:

 

Good move. While the bat isn't there, he's heating up and is showing the necessary plate discipline to play up.

[Stradling]

2 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

That is fine of course.

What about the still terrible RISP numbers and fielding?   Plus there is no room at DH/1B, unless they trade Thaiss, Pujols accepts a reduction to 120 starts next season, and Ohtani returns to the mound and cuts back on DH starts.

AO, Upton has turned into your new shiny object.  This is your Scott Downs or your Greg Mahle or any of your other rants.  You know baseball well enough to know that stats like this happen and then the next year they don't happen.  As for his defense, according to fangraphs he is 9th best in all of baseball.  Also according to fangraphs he is the 7th best left fielder in all of baseball.  This is despite how bad he has been with RISP, which is something that isn't normal and there is no reason to believe it will always be like that.  

[Chuck]

39 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Good move. While the bat isn't there, he's heating up and is showing the necessary plate discipline to play up.

Why not JJ?

[Second Base]

34 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Why not JJ?

My guess is this will be similar to Jones, Marsh and Adell. Generally, I think they'll be promoted at a similar place. I'm guessing Jackson will be promoted in the next week or so.

[totdprods]

Jackson also promoted.

[tdawg87]

Just now, totdprods said:

Jackson also promoted.

There it is

[totdprods]

Knowles might be going too.